Variable-speed gearing.



PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

S. L. LANGDALE.

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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. o/za j/Afzazz No. 781,959. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. S. L. LANGDALE.

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 3,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented February 7, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

STONAY L. LANGDALE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,959, dated February'7, 1905.

Application filed June 3, 1904. Serial No. 11,044

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Be it known that I, STONAY L. Laxenann, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Variable-Speed (Iearings,of which the following is atull,clear, and exactdescription,such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a top plan view of a gearing constructed and arrangedin accordance with my invention, part of the casing being removed. Fig.2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the casing andthrough the mechanism, one of the disks and one pair of cooperatingclutch members being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional viewthrough one of the raceways of a bearing and through one of thedrive-shafts. Fig. & is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on theline it -.t of 3, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 5of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to gearings, and particularly to a gearing formotor-vehicles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for varying thespeed of a driven part with relation to the driving part.

Another object is to provide means for yieldingly starting the rotationof the driven part, so as to avoid sudden jarring of the machinery, withthe resultant detriment thereto; and a still further object is toprovide means whereby the driven part can be reversed while the drivingpart is rotating in the one direction.

Other objects and advantages of this in vention, as well as the noveldetails of construction, will be specifically described hereinafter, itbeing understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor detailsof construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

As illustrated in the drawings, the gearing is applied to amotor-vehicle.

I and 2 designate the sectional axles on which the driventraction-wheels are secured. Loosely mounted upon the axles I and 2 arethe sleeves 3 and t, which sleeves carry oppositely-disposed parallelfriction-disks, (designated by the reference-numerals5and 6,respectively.) The friction-disks are lixed to the sleeves in anysuitable manner, and these sleeves rotate in hearings in a suitablegearcasc, (designated by the n umeralT.) The gearcase is a sectionalone--that is, it is made of two parts, each part being provided withflanges through which suitable fastening devices may extend to securethe parts together. At one end of the gear-case is an oil-reservoir 8,which forms a housing for spur-gears, to be referred to hereinafter.

The numeral 9 designates a driving-shaft which may be connected to anysuitable motor. This driving-shaft is longittulimtllydisposed in thecasing, extending from end to end, and near one extremity thereof islixedly secured a spur-gear It), which is positioned in theoil-reservoir. The spur-gear 10 is at all times in mesh with a similargear 11 fixedly secured upon a secondary drive-shaft 9, receiving itsmotion from the driving-shaft 9.

'A partition 12 divides the oilreservoir 8 from the interior of the mainportion of the casing. and in this partition 12 are packingrecesses forthe reception of ring-packing13.

The shafts 9 and 9 are parallel with each other, and each is providedwith a longitudinal groove (designated as H) to receive the lug orprojection II of the corresponding friction device. nously movablefriction devices are carried upon the respective shafts and areconnected by suitable bearings. One pair is at one end of the casing,while the other pair is positioned at the opposite end, so that therespective pairs can be brought into engagement with theoppositely-located disks 5 and 6 to cause the axles to rotate in eitherdirection. Each pair of friction devices consists of an intermediatecasting 15, having terminally-disposed scmicylindrical bearing portions16, which are secured to complementary semicylindrical bearing portions17, whereby collars are formed with raceways 18 for the reception ofantifriction devices It). The respective collars on the ends ofthcconnccting portion or casting receive the grooved por- Pairs ofcooperating synchro-.

tions of the rotatable friction device 21, which also receive theantifriction devices 19. These friction devices are provided withsleeved portions slidable upon the respective shafts, and each isprovided with a circumferential portion 22, having afriction-face 23, ofpaper or some similar material. The intermediate portion 15, whichconnects the two collars, is attached to a reciprocating rod 24,

which is movable by a suitable hand-lever or.

other mechanism, (not shown,) so that the friction devices can be movedon the shafts toward and away from the center of the respective disks 5and 6. In order to prevent rotation of the friction devices, the sleevesthereof are provided with projections 14, which receive the splines 14on the shafts 9 and 9. It will therefore be apparent that these frictiondevices can be moved toward and away from the center of the respectivefriction-disks, so as to increase or decrease the speed thereof, andthereby change the speed of the vehicle.

A shifter-rod is secured to a central portion of the connecting memberfor the sleeves on the pair of friction devices remote from the oppositepair of friction devices, and this rod 25 is adapted to be operatedindependently of the rod on the first-named pair of friction devices, sothat the respective pairs of friction devices can be moved into and outof engagement with the friction-disks independently of each other.

Adjusting devices (illustrated as nuts 26) are carriedon the respectiveaxles, and each nut receives one end of a coiled spring 27, theconvolutes of which surround the respective axles, the opposite end ofeach spring projecting through an opening in a collar 28, made fast toone of the sleeves 3 or 4:, the end of the spring being securely held inplace by a suitable fastening device, (indicated in Fig. 5 as a set-nut29.) Fixed to each axle and projecting at substantially a right anglethereto is a pin or projection 30, extending through segmental slots 31and 32 in the sleeves and the collars, respectively. As heretoforestated, the axles are loosely mounted in the sleeves, so that whenmotion is imparted to the driving-shafts and communicated to thefrictiondisks through the medium of the cooperating friction devices thefriction-disks and sleeves will be rotated. The initial rotation givento the sleeves will cause the torque of the springs to impart a rotarymovement to the axles in a yielding manner, thus obviating thedisadvantage of sudden jar in starting the machine. Under a normal loadit is desired to maintain this yieldability between the sleeves and theaxles; but under abnormal conditions it is possible that the strength ofthe springs will not be suflicient to preserve the yielding connection,and in order to provide for the limit of rotation of the sleeves withrespect to the axles the projection has been provided, Which will onlypermit the sleeve to rotate the distance of the length of the slotbefore the projection 30 will abut against one edge of the slot, so asto cause a positive connection between the sleeve and the shaft. Ofcourse these springs can be of various strengths for diiferentsizes ofmotor-vehicles. The springs not only serve as yielding connectionsbetween the sleeves and the shafts, but also act as tension devicesmaterially assisting in preserving the frictional contact between thefriction devices and the friction-disks. By reference to Fig. 1 it willbe observed that the peripheries of the friction-disks are beveled orchamfered, so that the friction-faces of the devices on thedriving-shafts will ride on the edges and slightly spread the disksapart against the expansive force of the springs.

The oil is introduced into the oil-reservoir 8 by means of a portedportion normally closed by a cap or cover 33. The oil is prevented fromentering the main portion of the casing by the partition 12 and thecooperating ring-packing 13. If, however, any oil, dirt, or otherforeign substances find access into the major portion of the casing, theliquid canbe removed by a petcock 34, (illustrated in Fig. 2,) andaccess can be had to the interior of the casing by means of theremovable closures 35 and 36, also illustrated in Fig. 2, and which arefastened by the fastening devices 37 and 38.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, it willbe apparent that by operating one set of friction devices so that theywill frictionally engage the opposing friction-disks the vehicle can bemoved in one direction, and the speed can be varied according to theposition assumed by the friction devices with relation to the centersand peripheries of the disks. If it is desired to stop the vehicle, bothsets of friction devices will be thrown out of contact with the disks,and the driving-shafts can be constantly rotated without affecting theaxles. If it is desired to drive the vehicle in the opposite direction,the proper set of friction devices will be thrown into contact with thedisks, it being apparent that in any case the vehicle must of necessitybe started at a low rate of speed, after which the speed can beincreased by moving the friction devices toward the center ofthe disks.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gearing, a rotatable sleeve, a shaft inserted in the sleeve, aspring, one end of which is fixed to the shaft and the other to thesleeve, and a projection carried by the shaft and engaging a slot in arigid part on the sleeve; substantially as described.

2. In a gearing, a pair of driving-shafts, friction-disks adjacent toeach shaft, driven shafts connected to the disks, andindependently-movable pairs of friction devices adapted to move on therespective driving-shafts and over the faces of the disks; substantiallyas described.

3. In a gearing, a pair of driving-shafts geared to each other and onetaking motion from the other, independently-movable pairs of sleevesmovable longitudinally on said shafts or non-rotatable with relationthereto, a divided axle, friction-disks on the contiguous ends of theaxle, means on the sleeves for engagement with the friction-disk, andmeans for independently moving the pairs of sleeves longitudinally ontheir shafts alternately into and out of operative position;substantially as described.

a. In a gearing, a pair of parallel drivingshafts provided withlongitudinal grooves, independently-movable pairs of sleeves movable onthe respective shafts, means for independently moving the pairs ofsleeves, friction devices carried by the sleeves, a divided axle, andfriction-disks carried by the contiguous ends of the axle for engagementwith the friction devices carried by the sleeves; substantially asdescribed.

5. In a gearing, the combination with a pair of parallel driving-shafts,friction devices on the driving-sha fts and movable in pairs, drivenshafts, disks on the driven shafts, and yielding connections between thedisks and driven shafts including a rotatable sleeve, a spring, one endof which is fixed to the shaft and the other to the sleeve, and aprojection carried by the shaft and engaging a slot in the sleeve;substantially as described.

6. In a gearing, a pair of parallel drivingshafts, a casting havingoppositely-disposed bearings, friction devices in the bearings andsurrounding the respective shafts but non-rotatable with relationthereto, friction-disks, and means for moving friction devices into andout of engagement with the disks; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 12th day of May, 190%.

STONAY L. LANGDALE.

\Vitnesses:

B. F. FUNK, GEORGE BAKEWELL.

